Source: The Guardian
The proportion of people from a black and minority ethnic background training to become Church of England priests doubled between 2016 and 2018.
Eight per cent of new ordinands – trainee priests – were from a BME background last year, compared with 4% in 2016, according to data published by the C of E on Monday. The change reflects concerted efforts to increase diversity among the clergy.
Among qualified, paid clergy, 3.9% were from BME backgrounds in 2018 – a proportion markedly below the BME population of England and Wales, which was about 13% in the 2011 census and is expected to have risen since.